ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Golden Bear softball team (23-19, 17-11 NSIC) hosted the Southwest Minnesota State (25-18, 17-13 NSIC) on the last day of the 2021 regular season at Carlander Field. CSP had an exciting first game as it ended in walk off fashion. The Mustangs offense erupted in game two as they won the game and split the doubleheader.
 
The Golden Bears will be the fifth seed heading into the NSIC Tournament. They will play the fourth seed, Minnesota Duluth on Thursday May 13^th at RYFSA Complex in Rochester, Minnesota. 
 
Check the NSIC Softball Tournament Page for the NSIC Softball Tournament bracket and updates. The NSIC Softball Tournament will be held in Rochester, Minnesota from May 13^th-May 14^th. 
 
Kris McIntyre's walk off home run in game one was her third home run of the season and her second walk off home run of the season. Concordia also had one pinch hit single and two pinch hit doubles in the seventh inning of game two. 
 
GAME ONE: Concordia-St. Paul 2, Southwest Minnesota State 1
It wasn't until the fifth inning when CSP struck first. Mortenson led off the inning with a walk, she was lifted for a pinch runner in Alexus Houston. Cam Veenbaas then singled down the left field line to make it first and second. Taylor Griffin then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners in scoring position. Meagan Bliese followed with a sacrifice bunt of her own, which allowed Houston to score to make it 1-0 Golden Bears 
 
The Mustangs would respond in the top of the sixth inning. Emma Grote led off with a bunt single down the third base line, Kali Tomlinson then doubled to right field, moving Grote to third. After a strikeout and a pop out, it looked like the Golden Bears were going to get out of it, but the Mustangs had other plans. Kaylee Hentges put the ball in play, and she reached on an error by shortstop which allowed Grote to score to tie the game 1-1. 
 
After a scoreless seventh inning, this game had to be decided in extra innings. After a quick top of the eighth inning by Kaestner, Kris McIntyre ended the game on the first pitch of the inning as she sent a game winning home run to center field for her third of the season and winning the game for CSP 2-1. 
 
Kali Kaestner went all eight innings for CSP, allowing six hits, one unearned run and four strikeouts. She moves to 12-6 on the season. 
 
Kris McIntyre led the offense going 2-4 with one run scored and one RBI, Cam Veenbaas went 2-3, Aryka Knoche and Amanda Parsons each went 1-3. 
 
GAME TWO: Concordia-St. Paul 5, Southwest Minnesota State 10
The Mustangs hung a four spot in the first inning off of the Golden Bears. There were back-to-back walks to start the top of the first inning for SMSU, after a fielder's choice which resulted in an out at third base, Madison Krog singled through the right side, scoring a runner and giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead. Next, Lileya Kebos singled on a bunt, scoring another runner to make it 2-0. After a ground out which advanced the runners to second and third, Kaylee Hentges singled to right field, scoring the two runners and making it a 4-0 Mustangs lead. 
 
SMSU would tack on two more runs in the top of the second and third innings. After two lead off single in the top of the second inning, Kali Tomlinson doubled to right center field, scoring the lead runner, giving the Mustangs a 5-0 lead. In the top of the third inning, CSP got the first out and then gave up a single. After a ground out allowed the runner to move up to second base, Madysson Schiinz singled to left field, scoring the runner and making it 6-0. 
 
Concordia was able to get on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Clara Heislen reached on a one out walk, Kris McIntyre then placed a perfect bunt single to make it first and second. Grace Beseman walked to load up the bases. After SMSU got a strikeout, Amanda Parsons singled through the left side, scoring both Heislen and McIntyre, she would advance to second base on the throw to make it a 6-2 game. Hanna Mortenson followed with a walk to load the bases and Cam Veenbaas worked a bases loaded walk to score Beseman and make it a 6-3 game. 
 
SMSU was able to work out of the jam and they answered with a run of their own in the top of the fourth inning. A leadoff walk and a double made it second and third with no one out. After a line out to Beseman at third, Patia Wolfe singled to left field, scoring the lead runner and making it 7-3 Mustangs. 
 
The Mustangs would add three more in the top of the seventh inning to give them a 10-3 lead and Concordia looked to stage a major comeback. Coach Bartel rolled out a parade of pinch hitters and it was effective against the Mustangs. Annalise Scamehorn led off the inning and she hit a rope of a single to right field, after a groundout by Afton Zemke, which allowed Scamehorn to move up to second base, Emma Lero lined a double to right field to make it second and third with only one out. After a pop out by Alexus Houston, Payton Hanson doubled to right center, scoring both Scamehorn and Lero to make it a 10-5 game. The rally would die and the Mustangs took game two, 10-5 to split the series. 
 
Aryka Knoche suffered the loss as she moved to 6-5 on the season. Bryanna Olson pitched 4.1 innings striking out one batter and Kristi Pilz pitched an inning, striking out one batter as well. 
 
Clara Heislen went 2-3 with a run scored and Kris McIntyre, Aryka Knoche, Annalise Scamehorn, Amanda Parsons, Emma Lero and Payton Hanson all collected a hit in this game.